


how easy you are to need

by thatoneperson



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fae, Cultural Differences, Fae politics, M/M, Mythological Inaccuracies, blue and orange morality
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-22
Updated: 2017-08-13
Packaged: 2018-09-11 03:06:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,292
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8951494
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thatoneperson/pseuds/thatoneperson
Summary: Winter King Viktor falls in love with Yuuri of the Summer Court like an avalanche, suddenly and destructively. Yuuri catches on to the destructively part before anything else, which causes Viktor nearly as many problems as Summer King Phichit.





	1. if i could see you

**Author's Note:**

  * For [exocara](https://archiveofourown.org/users/exocara/gifts).



There was nothing quite like spending time gardening to soothe a member of the Summer Court, but still Yuuri could not shake the chill of the Winter King’s visit. He had lost their game, had lost his prize. He should have been bitterly furious. His Court had been seething enough to leave a trail of frost in their wake, but their king had been pleased, practically glowing.

Yuuri could almost think that the king had been looking at him with that peculiar light in his eyes, but Phichit had been standing next to him. It wasn’t like the Winter King would look at him when the Summer King was right there, basking in the delight of victory.

“Yuuri, this is where you’ve disappeared to! The celebrations just aren’t the same without you,” Phichit said, lowering himself beside Yuuri.

“I don’t do well at revels, and you know it.” Yuuri pulled his hands from the flowers twining around them to face Phichit properly.

“I could order you back,” Phichit said casually.

“I would obey as best I know how, my King,” Yuuri said with dramatic insincerity, his hand pressed to his heart as though making my oath.

“Fine,” Phichit groaned, “you can stay out here and sulk if you want.”

Yuuri smiled brightly at Phichit and flicked the vine that had been quietly trying to creep towards him. It retreated back into its bush with a sheepish sort of wriggle.

“Plants always liked you best,” Phichit said fondly, “like that one rosebush back when we were 300 that—”

“Phichit, no!” Yuuri yelped. “I just want to forget that ever happened.” He hadn’t thought about that incident in decades before Phichit had so cruelly ruined his streak.

“It’s too bad you’ll be out here alone with only your thoughts. If only you had something to distract you, you wouldn’t be stuck remembering the event all night long.” Phichit smiled sweetly.

Yuuri frowned, a stubborn set to his shoulders. Sure the rosebush was embarrassing, but facing the Summer Court in all its splendor was another matter entirely. Though, by not showing up, he was making both Phichit and himself look weak.

“I’ll swear an oath never to mention it again if you’ll come in.” Phichit could clearly see Yuuri beginning to waver. “You won’t even have to take your official place, just come inside.” Phichit grabbed Yuuri’s hand and gave his brightest smile.

 _For Phichit_ , Yuuri reminded himself just a bit helplessly as he twirled among the brightly colored fae. At least he was mingling only with the common fae. He looked back at the venomous crowd surrounding Phichit on his throne and shuddered. The Court was all double and triple crossing with plans stretching back longer than he had been alive. They took more energy to keep up with than Yuuri was willing to expend in the wake of Phichit’s competition with the Winter King.

“Yuuri,” his new dancing partner purred, “you’ve been missed. Is this where you’ve been hiding?” Oh joy, it seemed like the Court was coming to him instead.

“Gwyn, how could I dream to hide from you?” Yuuri smiled with all the brightness and sincerity of salesperson’s promise. “The master of the wild hunt could surely find one lone fae easily.” Gwyn was too practiced for it to show on his face, but Yuuri could see the tension in his shoulders. No wonder Phichit had come to find him; Gwyn had honestly lost track of him. It was significantly more fun to dance with Gwyn with that bit of knowledge warming his heart.

“Still, you don’t seem to be enjoying the festivities as much as one would expect.” Gwyn pressed close enough for Yuuri to smell the faint traces of old blood that always lingered on Gwyn as they began one of the oldest dances.

“One should know how dangerous expectations can be,” Yuuri whispered against Gwyn’s neck, “and who says I’m not having exactly as much fun as I mean to?” _Apart from me_ , Yuuri added silently. At least Gwyn wasn’t a bad dancer.

Gwyn went still as stone and twice as tense beneath Yuuri’s hands as everything grew quiet. Yuuri followed the shocked stares of everyone in the room straight to the Winter King. The Winter King was staring right back at Yuuri. What.

“What brings you uninvited to my court on this eve of celebration, Winter King?” Phichit’s voice echoed in the stillness of the previously jubilant grove. The anticipation in the air was a near tangible presence as everyone watched the lone winter fae.

“I came to offer my congratulations to the Summer Court.” The Winter King was still staring straight at Yuuri. Death was coming for Yuuri. The Winter King was poetry in motion, and even more so when it came to battle. Yuuri had no chance at defeating him if the Winter King wanted him dead, and he apparently blamed Yuuri for his defeat. What a cruel fate he had unleashed upon himself.

“Your congratulations have been received. Do you have any further business here?” Phichit’s gaze flicked between his closest friend and his greatest enemy with an implacable expression.

“Perhaps were I invited,” the Winter King purred, still staring straight at Yuuri, “but no, for now my business is concluded. I will take my leave” He turned to Phichit with a smile and a bow, and vanished into the edges of the forest.

Yuuri was going to _die_ , but more importantly, the Winter King shouldn’t have been able to get this close their stronghold. This was spring, after all, and the Winter Court was waning. Phichit motioned for the celebrations to continue as Yuuri rushed to his side. 

“Yuuri and I have business to attend to,” Phichit announced before the Court. “Michele, Sara, follow us.” They swept out of the grove as the sounds of the revel grew louder behind them.

Phichit tapped his fingers against the hallowed hollow oak tree that was his throne.

“Michele, as the captain of my guard you are tasked with finding out who failed to stop the Winter King.” Michele knelt on the ground before him.

“Yes, my liege. I will not fail you.” Phichit smiled with all the warmth of the Winter King.

“You will not,” Phichit agreed. “Sara, as the guardian of my wards you are tasked with finding out why they failed to stop the Winter King.” Sara knelt beside her brother.

“Yes, my liege. I will not fail you.” Phichit nodded agreeably.

“You have your tasks. I dismiss you to them.” Phichit watched the twins stride out of the throne room with the purpose and grace expected of their stations.

Apart from this mess, they really did excellent work. Phichit would likely be lenient with them after all the dust had settled. Yuuri turned to his regally poised king.

“Yuuri,” Phichit whined plaintively, slumping against his throne, “the Winter King broke into my court. Why?”

“I suspect it was to scare me,” Yuuri said gloomily, “in which case, it worked.” Yuuri flopped against the throne room’s floor with a groan. Phichit stared at Yuuri expectantly.

“I don’t want to die,” Yuuri groaned.

“Kill you?” Phichit frowned. “That wasn’t quite the impression I was getting.” He leaned down to wrap his hand around Yuuri’s. “In any case, I wouldn’t let him.”

Yuuri laughed delightedly. Phichit had become so reliable since he was crowned. The jittery fear thrumming beneath the surface of his skin was pushed aside by a warm wave of fondness and pride.

“I can count on you, can’t I?” Yuuri squeezed Phichit’s hand with a bright smile. Phichit was probably right. He wasn’t really that important; surely the Winter King had better things to do than murder him. The Winter King probably wouldn’t even remember him in a decade. It’d be fine.


	2. Life Will Change

This was not fine. This was very much not fine. 

“So what you’re telling me is that our defences can’t keep the Winter King out.” Phichit snarled something that sounded like broken glass scraping over stone. Yuuri stifled a wince. Phichit had to be furious to swear in the old tongue. 

“He puts himself at risk every time he does it, at least.” Sara stood unmoving as stone before her king’s frustration. “It would take too much power for him to bring any of his guards with him, or to launch an effective attack alone.” 

_How many fae die before it’s an effective attack_ , Yuuri wonders. The Winter King certainly seemed strong enough to take out at least one fae when he showed up in the middle of the Summer Court’s celebrations. The Winter King’s icy gaze alone was piercing as a knife, which combined with his regal bearing and the sculpted sharpness of his face could just about stop Yuuri’s heart. Everything about the Winter King was lethal, and Yuuri couldn’t quite feel safe knowing he could pop up at any moment. Neither could Phichit, for that matter.

“Find a way to make our defences stronger. You may have whatever you need, but my kingdom must be safe.” Yuuri set to writing the royal mandate that would let Sara have what she needed. 

Yuuri didn’t envy Sara. With as much power as Phichit was giving her, the price of failing would be a heavy weight to bear. Though if she succeeded she could have just about anything she wanted. Fae court politics were always something of a gamble. 

I’m glad I’m just a scribe, Yuuri thought as he stood at Phichit’s right hand, waiting for a signature on the new document. 

Sara came forward to accept her mandate with a deep bow. “Thank you, your majesty. I will do everything I can.” Her gaze darted towards her brother, his face still pale and drawn from the aftereffects of reporting the myriad of ways his men had failed to find or stop the Winter King. 

“Of course you will. Success can cover a multitude of failures, after all.” Phichit said with a gentle grin. Sara’s eyes turned fever bright as she accepted her mandate from Yuuri, steely determination writ in every line of her body. 

“The Court is dismissed,” Phichit said, sweeping his gaze over the assembled fae. They promptly bowed to their king and then scattered before he had time to find any fault in them. 

Like cockroaches skittering from the light. Yuuri gave a soft snort of laughter. Phichit the Summer King and his court of roaches. Roaches would certainly be easier to keep in line than fae, and much less work to keep entertained too. They’d be awful conversationalists though, which… might actually be a perk. No more politics had a nice ring to it. Maybe he should see a witch about that. 

“You know,” Yuuri said dryly, “I think you might have scared them.” 

“Good!” Phichit grumbled, all but leaping from his throne. “Maybe they’ll even be scared enough to stop plotting for a full minute.”

Yuuri gasped. “A full minute? Well, someone’s dreaming big today.” 

Phichit snorted as he settled amongst the roots of the tree that made his throne. There was still a tense set to his shoulders that Yuuri didn’t like. With all this business about the Winter King, it was quite likely that Phichit hadn’t been to his menagerie in a while. Maybe it was time to fix that. 

“Chu just had a new litter,” Yuuri said nonchalantly. “I wonder how they’re doing.”

“I don’t know about them,” Phichit said dryly, “but I can definitely see what you’re doing.” Phichit rose to his feet and huffed out a soft laugh. “It’s only working because I choose to let it.” Phichit pointed his finger at Yuuri and gave him a stern look. 

“Of course, your majesty,” Yuuri demurred with a smug smile. “Shall we set out for your menagerie immediately, then?”

“Yes, my subject, I think we shall,” Phichit proclaimed in the haughtiest tone he could manage. Yuuri muffled his laughter against his hand. Maybe if he hadn’t seen Phichit cooing over his beloved pets, he might have been able to take him seriously. Probably not, but there was always a chance. 

They tread the familiar pathways with the comfortable silence of people who had been the closest of friends for several hundred years. It was a rare and beautiful thing to have such complete trust in another fae, and they both took every turn to bask in it. 

“So, thinking of finding someone special?” Phichit asked, breaking the comfortable appreciation for his presence that Yuuri had so well been enjoying. 

“Phichit,” Yuuri groaned, “I get enough of that from everyone else. Not you too!” He buried his face in his hands even as he kept walking. Phichit laughed with deliberate lightness. 

“Alright, alright,” he teased, “I won’t get on your case about it.” He paused, thinking carefully about his next words. “I just think it might be good to have someone who can… support you in these trying times.”

Yuuri looked at Phichit with something like disbelief. “Phichit,” he said slowly, “I have you? I don’t need more support that that.” Phichit was stressed about Viktor for sure, but this was out of the bounds of even his usual stress-based weirdness. 

Phichit hummed thoughtfully. “Yes, you do.” He smiled softly, openly in a way a king could rarely afford. “Well, I suppose we’re here.” He clapped just once and a wall of vines parted to reveal a lush room full of fat little hamsters. He settled himself directly in the center of the room, giggling as they used their bitty little paws to clamber all over him. Yuuri smiled and quietly excused himself. He had a few questions he wanted to ask Sara and it would be better to find her alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so i know this took a while longer than i planned, but in my defense, i'm writing this for fun. i mean i also moved to a new country where i don't speak the language very well, but mostly the fun thing. 
> 
> also everyone should thank @exocara because they're the reason i regained interest in this story :*

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [wing it](https://archiveofourown.org/works/11774499) by [Vitali (exocara)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/exocara/pseuds/Vitali)




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